John Lewis and M&S Christmas adverts 2026: the films and the brand thinking

The big brands’ Christmas adverts are always a talking point: which story made us smile, which soundtrack stayed with us, and which film actually felt like the brand? In 2026, John Lewis and M&S both put connection at the centre of Christmas, but take very different routes to get there. Here are the two films, the verified campaign details and our take on the creative thinking.

John Lewis Christmas advert 2026: Gloria and Pickles

John Lewis’s ‘Don’t Give Up On Giving’ campaign follows Gloria, played by Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, as she tries to find gifts that will bring her closer to her grandchildren. Pickles, a toy dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse, comes to life and challenges her plan to give cash. A trip to John Lewis leads to a ‘Gran Cave’: a space for the family to spend time together.

Source: John Lewis’s official behind-the-scenes account

The soundtrack is Sam Fender’s version of The Rolling Stones’ ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’. John Lewis’s official advert archive names the film ‘Gloria and Pickles’. The story gives the retailer a clear role: helping someone choose a meaningful gift, rather than simply presenting a list of products.

Source: John Lewis’s advert archive and soundtrack details

M&S Christmas advert 2026: The Home of Christmas

M&S takes a playful approach. James Norton plays an undercover Santa, encouraged by Mrs Claus, played by Lucy Punch, to experience Christmas without being recognised. He shaves his beard, swaps his red suit for a Christmas jumper and discovers the celebrations happening in ordinary homes.

Launched on 6 November, ‘The Home of Christmas’ brings food, fashion, home and beauty together in one campaign. Katherine Jenkins provides a new recording of Belinda Carlisle’s ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’ and appears in the film. The festive moments give M&S a way to show the breadth of its range within one recognisable story.

Source: The Grocer’s M&S campaign report, 6 November 2026

Two stories, two different jobs for the brand

Our reading is that John Lewis makes gift-giving feel personal, while M&S makes its range feel like part of the whole festive season. One follows a grandmother’s particular problem; the other uses a familiar character to travel through many Christmas moments. Both give the products a reason to appear in the story.

The music matters to the tone, too. John Lewis’s song accompanies a story about what a family really needs. M&S’s soundtrack supports a brighter journey through shared celebrations. These are creative observations, not evidence that either campaign has increased sales: we have not seen verified effectiveness results for these two films.

What smaller businesses can take from the big Christmas adverts

• Start with one human idea. A specific wish, problem or moment gives a film more focus than a catalogue of everything you sell.
• Give your business a real role. If any competitor could put its logo on the same story, the connection to your brand needs work.
• Choose music and pacing together. Plan for sound-off viewing as well as the full soundtrack, and obtain the necessary music rights.
• Build for the places people will watch. Landscape and portrait edits should preserve the story and keep important words clear.
• Make the next step match the film. A seasonal advert should lead to a relevant page, product or offer, not leave visitors looking for it.

You do not need to copy a national retailer’s production budget or its plot. The useful lesson is to decide what people should remember about your business, then make the images, words, music and destination work towards that same idea.

Our own approach: bespoke as standard

Our Digital Munkey brand film uses project work, contrasting frames and a simple message: ‘Bespoke as standard’. It is a different brief from a Christmas retail campaign, but the same question applies: does the film feel specific to the business behind it?

Watch the Digital Munkey brand film

This is independent editorial commentary, not a John Lewis or M&S collaboration. The adverts belong to their respective rights holders. John Lewis’s official upload opens on YouTube because in-page embedding is restricted; the M&S film is provided through its YouTube player, with an original-video link if playback is unavailable.